An exploratory study of athletic identity among elite alpine skiers with physical disabilities: issues of measurement and design

The purpose of this study was to determine the athletic identity of elite skiers with disabilities and explore its relationship to select demographic variables. In addition, the factor structure of the Athletic Identity Measure Scale (ALMS) was examined. Thirty-three participants in the 2002 Huntsman Cup completed usable surveys. The Cup was the final international qualifying event for the 2002 Paralympics. Results indicated that these elite skiers with disabilities had comparable levels of athletic identity to athletes who do not have disabilities but who compete in sport at similar levels of intensity. The results did not support claims that athletic identity consists of a fourth factor entitled self-identity which is thought to be distinct to individuals with disabilities. Discussion of the results and implication for practitioners and researchers are provided.
Athletic identity is defined as the degree to which an individual identifies with the role of an athlete and will look to others for confirmation of that role (Brewer, Van [...]